By Derek Holmes
Training camps open around the MJHL this weekend, with two preseason games scheduled for Aug. 31 - Swan Valley at Waywayseecappo and the Northern Manitoba Blizzard at the Dauphin Kings.
It’s going to be very interesting to see how the MJHL comes out of the gates this year. On one hand the MJHL is riding high thanks to the Niverville Nighthawks winning not only their first-ever league championship, but also becoming national champions by winning the Centennial Cup last May. They earned that honour by defeating the host Summerside Western Capitals in their own rink in Prince Edward Island. In fact, the Nighthawks are now currently an exhibit in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto for anyone who plans to visit this year (a tourist destination I highly recommend).
On the other hand, people continue to pick up the pieces from the devastating floods which pounded Western Manitoba this spring and summer. Swan River and Dauphin were among the teams hit especially hard this year. Dauphin’s hospital remains unusable from the flood, while Swan River roadways and many homes were destroyed by the water.
The work to repair those communities continues and the hope is there they can also continue to support their junior hockey teams. Time will tell the tale on that point.
• There’s always lots of off-ice news to report on from the off season, and this year is no different. One interesting move saw the Dauphin Kings bring back a familiar face to join new Head Coach and General Manager Bryan Kromm, who most recently coached the Trail Smoke Eaters in the BCHL.
Joining him on the bench is former Kings forward, Kirklan Lycar. The Elma, Man., product had a few stops in the MJHL, including with the Portage Terriers and the Virden Oil Capitals. But back in 2014-15 he made the all-rookie team in the MJHL thanks to his 19 goals and 26 points with the Kings. The next season he had 24 goals and 54 points for the Kings.
The 29-year-old spent last season as an assistant coach with the Manitoba AAA U18 Hockey League's Eastman Selects, and rejoins the Kings to take his coaching career to the next level.
• In Waywayseecappo, the team rewarded Head Coach and General Manager, Landyn Cochrane with a multi-year extension.
Cochrane made history last year by becoming the first-ever coach in Waywayseecappo to lead his team to victory in a best-of-seven series. And, frankly, the Wolverines were the only team to give the Niverville Nighthawks a scare in the playoffs last year.
“The Wolverines are thrilled to have extended the leadership of Coach/GM Landyn Cochrane,” says Governor Morley Watson in a press release. “Landyn is one of the brightest young minds in the MJHL, and his vision, dedication, and leadership will continue to guide the Wolverines as an annual contender.”
Cochrane says the play is to keep building on the success of last year and build a winner.
“I’m beyond excited and grateful to be extending my contract with the Wolverines organization and the Waywayseecappo Community,” says Cochrane on the team website. “Coming back home and helping build something special here in Wayway has always been a dream of mine. Over the past two seasons, we’ve taken important steps forward, and I’m excited to continue building toward our ultimate goal of bringing a championship to the Waywayseecappo Community.”
The Wolverines lost a lot of veteran talent last year, but Cochrane has a history of finding talent. It will be interesting to see how they fare this year.

The Heritage Cemeteries Project (HCP) is an organization that was started over twenty years ago by a group of local people who loved the roots of their local history, but who also recognized that a lot of it was being lost.
The reason for the loss of our local history is due to the dwindling use of the first churches in Saskatchewan. In the pioneer era, country churches were all over the land, approximately ten miles apart, because five miles was most likely the farthest distance that an ox-cart or horse wagon could travel reasonably to get to church and back. However, as railroads and elevators were established, community centers changed, and many rural congregations closed down, causing a great number of the churches to be removed from the grounds.
Despite the loss of a number of church buildings, the cemeteries that once belonged to long-forgotten congregations still remain. However, as generations move away to larger centers such as Saskatoon or Regina, the cemetery grounds can become abandoned and neglected. “That is why our group was created,” explains Bryan Watson, the chairperson of HCP. “To care for these cemeteries that no longer have anybody to care for them.”

Find out the whole story on page 7 of this week's Russell Banner.

Pickleball starts back up on Tuesday, Sept 8 at the George P. Buleziuk Hall in Russell. Pickleball is FREE, and we have all equipment needed! Never played? We will teach you! Tuesdays: 1-3 pm and Thursdays: 9-11 am and again from 7-9 pm
Badminton starts back up on Sundays, September 13 from 7-9 pm at the George P. Buleziuk Hall in Russell. Badminton is FREE and we provide all equipment needed!
GYM KIDS registration is on now! Email the recreation office at: recre This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the registration link! Come climb, roll, jump, balance and swing with us! Classes for kids 18 months to 9 years
The Storybook Trail has a new book out; “The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!” Walk along the Trans Canada Trail, starting at the Russell Grain Elevator and read along with this funny back to school story!
Adults & Tots is a FREE open-gym type atmosphere for kids age 6 and under and their grown-up to come play! It is in the Bunge Room, upstairs in the Russell Memorial Multiplex. Enter the Multiplex through the Main St doors and go up the stairs. The Gym Kids equipment is set up for safe play, adult supervision is required. This a FREE activity and dates are subject to change. Wednesdays from 1-3 pm on Oct. 14, 21, 28 and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 am on Oct. 15, 29
Healthy Baby dates: September 24. October 22, November 26, and December 22 from 11 am - 1 pm upstairs in the Bunge Room at the Russell Memorial Multiplex, Main St entrance. This is a FREE program through Prairie Mountain Health for expecting parents and this with babes under 1 year old.
Beef & Barley is looking for BULL RIDERS again for our annual Beef & Barley Festival! Are you or somebody you know willing to take a ride and raise some funds for your favourite community group? Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

By Terrie Welwood
Russell Banner

“When I see a stray dog arrive at my property scared, hungry, and simply looking for someone to care, I understand that feeling. In many ways, I was there once too. Resurrection Rescue is my way of making sure that neither people nor animals have to face that darkness alone.”
IED: A homemade or unconventional bomb.
It’s an abbreviation that comes up a few times as Steve Stoesz tells the story of his time in the military. And his reasons for starting up Resurrection Rescue and their upcoming Mud for Mutts fundraiser on August 29 and 30.
That story is as interesting as it is important, in many different ways. We’ll share some of it here.
Steve recalls that his first IED experience was on May 25, 2008.
“It was a suicide vehicle that detonated right beside our LAV,” he remembers, adding that he was the gunner standing in the turret, looking directly toward the explosion.
“Up until that moment, the idea that I could be wounded or killed overseas had crossed my mind, but after that blast it became a physical reality. Everything changed.”
Before that day, he said, as the fighting season had not really started, their tour had been relatively quiet.
“The Taliban typically fought during the summer months when the green foliage provided cover. After that day, it was like someone flipped a switch. Gun battles became a daily occurrence across the area we were operating in.”
The first firefight, he said, it hit him hard.
“Two Afghan National Army soldiers fighting alongside us were shot. While our medic treated them, we provided security as rounds cracked past us, some coming frighteningly close. Watching the damage those bullets caused just behind us while hearing them fly all around was a sobering experience. It drove home just how quickly life could change.”
As the tour continued, there were countless gun battles, mortar attacks, and rocket attacks. Then, on July 4, Stoesz hit a second IED.

To read the whole story, pick up a copy of this week's Russell Banner and turn to pages 1 and 2.